Liquid applicator for animal usage



INVENTOR ALFRED J. P/EL Nov. 6, 1962 A. J. PlEL LIQUID APPLICATOR FOR ANIMAL USAGE Filed Oct. 24, 1960 VIII!!!riillllllilllllrla viz/11111111110111]!!!1111/1/11 .1 zavlllsrlwm m a Mrlvsss FRED BA uaus United States Patent Ofifice 3,%Z,137 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 Filed Oct. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 64,421 3 laims. (Ci. 119-157) This invention relates to a device for applying liquid lotions, medicated chemicals, oils and like to the skin and/or hair of animals, such as cows, horses, pigs and like.

Especially in the raising of cattle, the outside of the animal is often treated to make the hair oily and brilliant. If an oil is used, the skin of the animal is also treated and greatly benefited. Often the solutions used prevent skin diseases, and eliminates parasites such as ticks, flies, and like. Some effort has been made to provide rubbing cables saturated with the liquid treatment wherein the animal will rub or scratch itself on the cable and thereby distribute the liquid treatment over its body. One of the chief problems with such equipment is the continuous saturating of the cable so that when the animal uses the rubbing cable, it will rub off on its hide suificient liquid to obtain the desired results.

In my United States Letters Patent No. 2,813,510, issued on November 19, 1957, on 2. Liquid Applicator for Treatment of the Hair and Skin of Animals, I used a pump means actuated by the movement of the cable by the animal. While this system has been most successful, it is obvious that the pump mechanism is not only costly, but subject to wear, breakage and malfunction.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a liquid applicator for animal usage that does not require a pump means to furnish the liquid to the animal rubbing cable or like.

More specifically the object of this invention is to provide a liquid applicator for livestock usage, that employs a gravity actuated ball valve means for passing intermittent quantities of liquid to the rubbing cable or like.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a mechanism that will automatically successfully maintain a supply of suitable liquid on the rubbing cable.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a liquid applicator for animal usage that is not adversely afiected by bad weather.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an animal liquid applicator that once set up requires little if any attention from the stockman.

Still further objects of this invention are to provide an automatic animal oiler or like that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my stock oiler installed and ready for use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the gravity actuated valve means portion taken on line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional View of the center base portion, taken on line 33 of FIG. 1, and more fully illustrates its construction.

In these drawings I use the numerals 10, 11 and 12 to designate pipes, beams, rods or like that go to make up the horizontal base of my device. These three members are all secured together at one of their ends, and extend radially outwardly from their attached point to form a ground engaging base of substantially Y-shaped construction. The pipe or like may be of a length greater than that of the length of each of the other spoke members 11 and 12, as shown in FIG. 1. On the attached end area of the three members 10, 11 and 12, I secure a horizontal plate 13. The numeral 15 designates a second plate directly above the plate 13. The ends of these two plates that extend toward the outer end of the base spoke 10 are suitably hinged together by any suitable means. In the drawings I use two loose bolts 16 and 17 that extend through the forward end area of the plate 13, and through slots 19 in the forward end area of the plate 15. These slots 19 extend parallel with the spoke member 10. Between the two plates and on each of the bolts 1 have a spacing washer 20 as shown in FIG. 3. The numeral 21 designates a pipe or post secured to and extending upwardly from the rear area of the plate 15, the rear area being that end of the plate 15 that extends in a direction away from the spoke 10. The numeral 22 designates a bolt loosely extending through the plate 13, the plate 15, and upwardly inside the pipe post standard 21. While the holes in the plates through which the bolt 22 extends, are larger in diameter than that of the diameter of the bolt shaft, they are not as large in diameter as the inside diameter of the post 21. A washer 23 embraces the bolt and engages the bottom of the plate 13. A spacing washer 25 is placed between the two plates 13 and 15 and embraces the bolt 22. The numeral 26 designates a. washer embracing the bolt 22 inside the tubular post 21 and engaging the top nut of the bolt 22. The numeral 27 designates a coil spring embracing the bolt 22, inside the tubular post 21, having its lower end engaging the plate 15 and its upper end engaging the washer 26 as shown in FIG. 3. Secured to the top of the post 21 is the liquid supply tank 29 having a top filler cap 39. I have herebefore referred to saturated rubbing cables. Such cables usually have rotatable washers around them for holding the fluid and also they provide a roll contact with the animal. I have used the numeral 31 to generally designate my cable which is secured at its lower end to the outer end of the spoke 10 and its upper end to the upper end portion of the tubular post. The numeral 32 designates washers threaded on the cable length. These washers may be of any suitable type and may be startype washers. They hold the solution between them and roll with and on the skin and hair of the animal rubbing against them. As before indicated, the solution in the tank 29 may be medicated, an oil, or an insecticide. Mixed with the washers on the cable may be finned scratching Spools 33. However, the chief phase of my device is the method of transferring small amounts of liquid from the supply tank to the upper end area of the cable, and at only such times as the device is being used by the animal. I accomplish all this by using a gravity actuated ball valve means. Within the bottom center of the tank I install a ball valve cage 35 having a downward- 1y extending nipple 36 extending through the dead center bottom of the tank. The numeral 37 designates a vertical liquid passageway extending through the nipple 36 and having its upper end communicating with the inside dead center bottom of the cage 35. This inside bottom of the cage slopes inwardly and downwardly from all directions to the passageway 37. The lower portion of the passageway 37 is of relatively small diameter so that it Will feed liquid to the cable at a very slow rate. The numeral 39 designates a flexibel conduit having its upper end connected to the nipple 36 and its lower end attached to and communicating with the upper end of the cable. The conduit means from the tank to the cable therefore includes the perforated ball cage 35, nipple 36, and conduit 39. The numeral 41) designates a ball valve loosely housed in the cage 35.

The practicable operation of my device is as follows:

'By the cable extending upwardly and rearwardly at an angle it can be contacted by all sizes of animals. When an animal does contact and rub on the cable it is automatically pulled in a direction away from the supply tank. The supply tank, however, is operatively secured to the upper end of the cable, and this means that the pulling action of the cable will move the upper end of the tubular post accordingly. This is made possible by the spring loaded hinged plate 15 on the lower end of the tubular post. The movement of the post will however be against the yielding force of the coil spring. With the tubular post moved to a position not truly vertical, the ball valve will roll by the force of gravity to the side of the open top of the passageway 37, thereby permitting some liquid to pass from the tank, through the passageway 37, through the flexible conduit, and onto the cable. When the cable ceases to be under pressure from the animal, the coil spring will return the tubular post to a true vertical position, and the ball valve will roll to the dead center bottom of the cage thus closing the open top of the passageway 37. By this arrangement of parts, no pumping means is needed. The supplying of suitable liquid to the upper end of the cable is automatic and only when needed due to the fact that the animal itself in the use of the device, initiates the cable oiling. By the conduit 39 beeing flexible and loose, it is not damaged by the movement of the cable by the animal.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my liquid applicator for animal usage without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. A liquid rubbing applicator for animal usage comprising:

(a) a base frame,

(b) a vertical support,

() offset hinge means connecting the base of said support with said base frame whereby said support is tiltable with respect to said base frame,

(d) biasing means connected between said base frame and said vertical support for maintaining said support in an upright position,

(e) fluid reservoir means carried on said support in spaced relation to the base thereof;

(f) a ball valve means communicating with said reservoir means, said ball valve means having a downwardly extending outlet passageway and a movable ball valve member normally closing said passageway under the action of gravity;

(g) and an elongated animal applicator means extending between said base frame and said vertical support, said animal applicator means communicating with said outlet passageway,

whereby when an animal engages said applicator means, said support is tilted, said ball moves out of closing relationship with said passageway, and said reservoir communicates through said valve means with said applicator until said biasing means restores said support to upright position.

2. A liquid rubbing applicator for animal usage comprising:

(a) a base frame,

'(b) a vertical support,

(0) offset hinge means connecting the base of said support with said base frame whereby said support is tiltable with respect to said base frame,

(d) biasing means connected between said base frame and said vertical support for maintaining said support in an upright position,

(e) fluid reservoir means carried on said support in spaced relation to the base thereof,

-(f) valve means communicating with said reservoir means, said valve means having a downwardly extending outlet passageway and a movable valve member normally closing said passageway under the action of gravity,

(g) and an elongated animal applicator means extending between said base frame and said vertical support, said animal applicator means communicating with said outlet passageway,

whereby when an animal engages said applicator means, said support is tilted, said valve member moves out of closing relationship with said passageway, and said reservoir communicates through said valve means with said applicator until said biasing means restores said support to upright position.

3. A liquid rubbing applicator for animal usage comprising:

(a) a base frame,

( b) a vertical support,

=(c) offset hinge means connecting the base of said support with said base frame whereby said support is tiltable with respect to said base frame,

(d) biasing means connected between said base frame and said vertical support for maintaining said sup port in an upright position,

(e) fluid reservoir means carried on said support in spaced relation to the base thereof,

(7) an elongated animal applicator means extended between said base frame and said vertical support; and

(g) valve means communicating with said reservoir means and with said applicator means, said valve means normally closed when said support is vertical, and open when said support is tilted to communicate said applicator means directly with said reservoir means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,581,028 Kirk Jan. 1, 1952 2,813,510 Piel Nov. 19, 1957 2,888,906 Delp June 2, 1959 2,945,474 McIntyre July 19, 1960 2,964,011 Hall Dec. 13, 1960 2,982,251 Krogman May 2, 1961 

